


Cinnamon Special

by Embers



Category: B.A.P, K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista!Daehyun, ColdCityMan!Himchan, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-18
Updated: 2014-06-18
Packaged: 2018-02-05 04:03:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1804579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embers/pseuds/Embers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The only reason Himchan hasn't found a new cafe after Daehyun nearly spills his Americano all over his laptop is because Yongguk is the owner. Really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cinnamon Special

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the following anonymous prompt from tumblr: "cold city man himchan with nerdy barista daehyun, coffee shop au".
> 
> To be totally honest, posting on here is a lot more effort than posting on AFF b/c of the formatting and stuff. And I like some of the features on there better. The fandom here seems pretty small in comparison, which makes sense, of course. But idk how much longer I'll keep the account here. Just a thought.
> 
> Anyway, for now, Himdae ahead!
> 
> ***Extraction and re-posting to other sites for reading/download from A03 in any form is strictly prohibited.

Himchan walks into his favourite café one afternoon, frustrated and impatient, and is greeted by a boy nearly drowning in a faded Iron Man t-shirt and quaking like a leaf under Himchan’s scrutiny. He’s merely surprised to see a new face, but his expression must look less curious and more irate as he raises a brow and considers the slight figure in front of him. 

Pretty lips part as the boy begins to talk, fingers pushing up his glasses before returning to clench the counter top discreetly.

“Hi, hello, um, welcome to T-treble and Bass…what can I get you, Sir?”

Himchan’s still frowning as he trails off uncertainly and Yongguk appears from somewhere, a comforting hand settling in the boy’s pale pink hair as he speaks. 

“I’ll take care of this, Daehyun-ah. Would you wipe down the tables before the lunch rush?”

The boy nods quickly, silently grateful Yongguk’s saved him from the unknown man’s wrath, and scurries out from under Yongguk’s gentle hand with a final fleeting look at Himchan. 

Himchan follows the figure with his eyes, scoffing when he nearly trips over his own feet on the way to the tables. Yongguk’s baritone brings him back, friendly face questioning.

“The usual?”

“Yeah. And a scone. Blueberry.”

The man smiles and punches in the order, “Tough day?”

“I don’t even want to think about it for the next half hour.”

Yongguk nods good naturedly, as he shuts the register and turns towards the coffee machines while Himchan drops his change in the little UNICEF collection box, and heads to his usual seat. Shrugging off his suit jacket, he neatly folds up his cuffs and pulls out his phone. 

Yongguk brings him his drink soon after and Himchan immediately takes a sip, gratefully grinning up at his friend as he feels the caffeine work its magic.

He nods to where the boy is still wiping down tables, concentrated and tongue peeking out between plush pink lips.

“Who’s that?”

Yongguk smiles fondly, “Daehyun, my new barista. He used to work at that community center I volunteer at, but they had to make some cuts. The music program lost some funding. He can bake a little, too. I think he’ll fit in great.”

* * *

 

Daehyun is a terrible barista.

Well, not a terrible barista as much as a terrible waiter. He makes decent coffee; it’s just the process of getting the steaming cup from the counter to the customer’s table that’s a little dicey.

Himchan’s honestly a little surprised the boy hadn’t been let go after the third time he spills Himchan’s coffee somewhere between the old record player by the back and the shelf of books by his regular spot, but Yongguk has always been a bit of a softie. 

“He’s not always so clumsy,” Yongguk tells him with a grin, wiping down tables late one afternoon after Daehyun bids them a good evening, “You just happen to be here every time he is.”

Himchan isn’t convinced. 

Yongguk’s always had a weakness for cute things, plush toys and tiny animals, and Daehyun is too much like a baby bird, with his small frame and large features, the thick framed glasses he wears all the time sometimes barely hanging off his nose as he hurriedly whips up Himchan’s Americano and dashes over to deliver it. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t dressed him down like you did that waitress that spilled wine on your shirt.”

“He’s one of yours,” Himchan replies with a shrug, as if that explains his lack of irritation, “And besides, he hasn’t ruined any of my suits. Yet.”

Yongguk nods contemplatively, “He’s good for business, actually. All the regulars love him, and I think he’s attracting some more of the younger crowd.”

Himchan pauses at this, “Really?”

“Yeah, he’s bubbly.”

Yongguk heads back to the counter where Daehyun is, smiling warmly at the boy when he looks up. Daehyun’s own grin fades when his eyes sweep over the café and land on Himchan, before quickly looking back down the counter.

Himchan frowns.

 

* * *

 

Daehyun works an odd schedule, to accommodate his classes, but he’s there most afternoons, a couple hours in the early morning, and even works a double shift once a week. He sees Himchan nearly every day, sometimes more than once; the elder man seems to live off caffeine most of the time. 

“Himchan paid for this entire new set up,” Yongguk tells him jokingly one day, gesturing to the gleaming new machines, “It only a took a few months’ worth of visits, near the end of the fiscal year. He gets real antsy then, loads up on the pastry, too.”

Everything about Kim Himchan is sharp.

Intelligent eyes, fox-like and calculating. Jet black hair, slicked up and framing perfectly angular features. Witty and with a wardrobe to match the rest of his killer looks.

Daehyun, with his penchant for tacky clothing that is usually as mismatched as it is ill-fitting, doesn’t quite know what to make of the handsome man Yongguk calls his closest friend. The man who rolls his eyes at Yongguk’s lectures on social responsibility, but never fails to leave his change in one of the donation boxes Yongguk keeps at the counter.

Sometimes he catches the elder man looking at him contemplatively. He can’t imagine why, Daehyun is simply another student, attending class half-asleep and sketching his dreams out in his head between subway stops and café orders, a dime a dozen in a city like Seoul. 

So when Himchan calls him over after the only other customers in the café leave, a gaggle of schoolgirls that had kept Daehyun occupied for the past half hour with their shy requests and giggly questions, he’s understandably confused and even a little worried.

Himchan gestures for him to sit, and Daehyun does so tentatively, afraid he has finally done something to offend the elder man. Himchan’s lean fingers tap against the mug in his hands, cuffs neatly linked and suit jacket pressed to perfection. Daehyun touches his glasses self-consciously as he waits for the elder to speak, feet nervously fidgeting beneath the table in worn sneakers. Suddenly, his pink tinged hair seems a little less quirky and a little more juvenile. 

Himchan’s eyes narrow, “Why don’t you talk to me like that?”

This is not what Daehyun is expecting to hear.

“Like…what?”

The elder gestures vaguely at Daehyun’s face, “You know, all…happy and smiley and shit.”

“Do you, um, want me to?”

“No.” Himchan scowls, “Just. It’s bad customer service. Playing favourites like that. Yongguk won’t like it.”

Daehyun stops blinking in confusion and his face falls. He seems genuinely upset at this, and Himchan almost feels bad. It’s like that one time he stole candy from a baby all over again.

In his defence, he was four.

The boy purses his lips, speaking slowly as his eyes flick up to meet the elder’s sharp gaze, “I’m not…playing favourites. I just…you don’t seem like you want me to talk to you? You’re kind of…scary?”

Himchan’s brow drops and furrows, face darkening, “I’m scary?”

Daehyun points suddenly, “Like that! You do that eyebrow thing and it’s…scary. Like you’re angry.”

Himchan rolls his eyes, “I’m not angry, this is just my face. God, you kids are so sensitive these days.”

“Ah, sorry, Himchan-ssi.”

Daehyun sits there, fidgeting as Himchan sighs in exasperation.

“From now on, you call me hyung.”

“…Okay.”

“Okay…?”

“Okay…hyung?”

Himchan seems pleased by this and Daehyun relaxes a little. He returns to the counter when a stream of customers begins to trickle in for lunchtime, leaving Himchan by his favourite table at the back. 

Still pondering their earlier interaction, the barista finds himself admiring the elder from behind the counter, between customers. Himchan really is a gorgeous man, sculpted and exuding class from every invisible pore. He’s the kind of man Daehyun normally would never talk to, the kind that makes him feel like rough, unfinished stone next to a perfectly cut diamond. The kind that usually would never talk to _him_.

Over the next few days, Daehyun begins to converse with the man, talk that Himchan actually returns. The boy learns that Himchan isn’t necessarily angry all the time after all, it just so happens that his resting face really does have a natural air of impatience and mild disdain. It tends to smooth away when he spots Yongguk, when Daehyun hands over a steaming mug of coffee, or when a particularly jazzy number begins playing over the speakers. 

Days when Himchan arrives with his laptop and a tight frown, rolls up his cuffs and begins typing as soon as he sits down, are days when Daehyun makes his coffee just that little bit quicker. He leaves it just to the side, away from the computer (he’d learnt _that_ lesson) and leaves with a soft _here you go, hyung, have a nice day_. Himchan’s furrowed brow relaxes after that and the first warm sip. He leaves with something close to a smile.

 

* * *

 

Himchan usually arrives just before the morning and afternoon rushes, allowing him time to chat with the barista before the influx of people. Despite appearances, they actually have quite a bit in common; especially a mutual love for all things music and much of their talk revolves around that topic. 

Daehyun is also a good ear, listening to Himchan’s rants about his underlings with an amused smile and doesn’t try to reason with Himchan the way Yongguk does. The elder learns the boy is a bit of a geek, able to talk nonstop with great enthusiasm if you touched on one of the topics he was passionate about, and in this way he is very much like Yongguk. Although, thankfully, he took far less time to get through a sentence.

He’s a little later than usual one day and walks in when the café is busy and bustling. He’s a few people behind the front of the line, and Daehyun hasn’t noticed him yet. The boy is smiling, cracking little jokes with customers and cheerfully inputting their orders. He has little dimples high on his cheeks, Himchan notes, like whiskers on a kitten. The sunlight streaming in through the large front windows casts a strange glow on his coloured hair, and he almost looks like something out a dream.

Daehyun’s eyes widen when Himchan walks up to the counter, smile faltering before a soft expression takes over his features, “Hi, Himchan-hyung. The usual?”

Himchan nods absently, already counting out his change, “What’s with that look?”

“Hm? Oh, um, well you’re smiling. It’s…it’s nice.”

So he is, Himchan realizes with surprise. He rearranges his features to a more neutral expression, grunting his thanks as he moves to his usual spot. 

Another barista, young and tall as a tree, brings him his coffee as he opens up a newspaper and peruses it distractedly. Occasionally his eyes will flick back to the counter. When Daehyun’s eyes catch his, the boy smiles sweetly and Himchan can feel the fall chill thawing from his fingertips. 

 

* * *

 

Himchan arrives at the café after closing to pick Yongguk up before they meet up with some old college friends. He ignores the ‘closed’ sign and sits at one of the tables near the back, waiting for Yongguk to finish with the inventory. There’s a small stage by the back corner of the café where Yongguk hosts various things, including monthly open mic nights.

Daehyun appears from the back room, a broom and dustpan in his hands. Himchan is out of sight, shrouded in the dark that is out of reach of the soft light that surrounds the stage. He’s about to make his presence known as Daehyun begins to sweep but then the boy begins humming softly, and Himchan’s discomfort at watching the younger man while he works fades away when the humming morphs into a sweet sounding singing voice. 

Himchan allows himself to listen to a few bars of a sad sounding song before he stands and slowly walks into the light, coughing lightly to catch the younger man’s attention. The boy nearly jumps a foot in the air anyway, and Himchan apologizes while he chuckles in amusement. 

Daehyun presses a hand to his chest, “You surprised me, hyung.”

Himchan smirks, “So you sing, huh?”

He’s quite proud of the flush that triggers in the boy’s cheeks, hands gripping the broom handle nervously. 

“Oh…you heard that? Yeah, um, I…sometimes.”

He says this like he can’t quite understand it himself, hands twisting in the large red sweater enveloping his torso as he stands in front of the elder.

Himchan isn’t one to throw compliments around, he’s one of those people that don’t believe in participation ribbons and this new wave idea of not keeping score, but he gives credit where it’s due.

“You’re good.”

“Thank you.”

Himchan hides his smile when Daehyun bows quickly and scurries back behind the counter to sweep there, ears red.

Yongguk comes out a few minutes later, nodding to Himchan as he begins to close the register for the day. When Daehyun disappears into the storeroom, Himchan turns to Yongguk and whispers.

“Hey, Guk, did you know the kid can sing?”

Yongguk nods absently, “Yeah, he’s good, right?”

“Why don’t you let him take the stage sometime?”

The café own sighs and pauses in his counting as he gives Himchan a flat look, “You say that like I haven’t been trying. He doesn’t want to.”

“Why not?”

Yongguk shrugs, “His ears.”

“Ears?”

The café owner sighs as he continues, “And his nose and his weird sweaters and seal laugh and whatever else he comes up with as a reason for people to mock him.”

Himchan balks, “That’s ridiculous. Daehyun’s cute as fuck. He should do it.”

Yongguk gives him a wry look as he shuts the register.

“If someone told you that back when you thought being a little heavier than average was the end of the world, would you have listened?”

Yongguk has a point, but then again he’s full of them. 

The man was all elbows.

 

* * *

 

It’s a quiet Wednesday morning and Himchan has settled into a seat by the cash register as Daehyun begins loading up the display case with fresh muffins. He’s the only customer there, having walked in seconds after the sign flipped to ‘open’. 

He taps the surface of the table idly before he decides to break the ice, “Yongguk says you always refuse taking the stage on open mic.”

Daehyun stutters through his surprise at the inquiry, “Yeah, it’s just…I don’t know.”

Himchan nods as he takes another gulp of scalding coffee, “You ever performed before?”

The boy finishes filling the case and leans against the counter, “I used to, sort of. With my friend Youngjae. We sang together at school shows and stuff. But he’s in California now, studying.”

Himchan considers this as he ponders over his proposal, before slowly giving voice to his thoughts, “Would you feel better if someone else was up there with you now?”

“Like…a duet? Wait, who are we talking about?”

Daehyun’s nose is scrunched up and it reminds Himchan so much of a rabbit that he laughs lightly as he responds with a shake of his head.

“More like…an accompaniment. I can play piano and guitar. And I can harmonize pretty decently.”

“… _You_?” 

He isn’t sure whether to be offended or not at the comical expression of disbelief on the younger’s face. He’s not used to anyone looking at him like he can’t get the job done, and it ruffles his feathers a little bit.

“It’s just a suggestion, kid.”

“No! I mean,” Daehyun scrambles to explain himself, “I just…didn’t realize that you did…”

“Anything other than glaring and complaining about work? My parents thought being classically trained was the perfect addition to the resume they started building me at three,” the elder says with an eye roll, “Still, I can’t say it was a complete waste of time.”

Daehyun fidgets, fiddling with his glasses as he considers the idea, “I don’t know, hyung. Why do you even want to do this?”

Himchan shrugs, “It could be fun. And I wasn’t kidding when I said you sounded really good. So…what do you say?”

Daehyun shakes his head, looking at Himchan apologetically, “I’m not that good...I really appreciate the offer, hyung, but you probably have better things to do than wasting your time being my guitarist.”

Himchan sighs, standing from his seat and walking towards the counter. He hadn’t missed the way Daehyun had perked up slightly at the idea; he probably did miss singing even if he was hesitant to go it alone.

“Do you think I’m the kind of guy that says what I don’t mean? The kind of guy that would waste his time?”

Daehyun shakes his head with a tiny smile as Himchan ruffles his hair.

“Then you’re smarter than my last four assistants. So?”

Daehyun takes a breath and finally nods his head determinedly, “Okay. Let’s do it.”

When Yongguk comes back from the storeroom with several boxes, Himchan shares a look with Daehyun. The barista bites his lip and looks back with hesitation and Himchan pats his shoulder encouragingly.

“Go on,” he nudges Daehyun towards Yongguk who is busy restocking the shelves of tea near the back.

It’s terribly endearing, the way Daehyun stands behind Yongguk in his bright green sweater and rocks on the balls of his feet before he finally taps Yongguk’s shoulder with a finger.

“Um, hyung?”

Yongguk turns and places the tins in his hands down, giving the barista his full attention, “Yeah, Dae?”

“Um, I’d like to do the open mic. Next month. If that’s okay?” 

Yongguk breaks into a wide grin, gums on display and he clasps the back of Daehyun neck affectionately, “Of course that’s okay. You’re going to be great. What changed your mind?”

Daehyun smiles bashfully and looks towards Himchan who has moved to join them near the back, “Actually, Himchan-hyung said he’d do it with me.”

Yongguk raises a surprised brow, turning to where Himchan is leaning against a table, “Did he now?”

“Yep!” 

Daehyun looks between the two men before flushing at the wink Himchan shoots him and excusing himself to fetch the rest of the bakery items for the day.

As Daehyun heads to the kitchen with a bright smile, Yongguk eyes his friend suspiciously. He crosses him arms and regards Himchan critically as the raven sips on his coffee innocently.

“What are you doing?”

“What?” Himchan shrugs, overly casual, “I do nice things.”

“I know, but…well, you’re not exactly the most altruistic guy around. This isn’t something you can throw a check at.”

Himchan isn’t offended, Yongguk’s right, after all. He’s isn’t that guy.

And it’s not that he really has ulterior motives, but he honestly probably wouldn’t be doing this if he hadn’t come to like Daehyun as much as he does. 

“Does it matter? I like the kid, he’s grown on me. Even though he dresses like a thirteen-year-old and is obviously colour blind.”

“Don’t make me break out _your_ college photos.”

“Unless you want me to stop coming here, taking your entire profit margin with me, I suggest you calm down, Bbang.”

 

* * *

 

Himchan had been about to offer his condo as a practice space, but Daehyun had asked if he would be alright with going to his instead. Himchan had agreed, thinking the younger was perhaps more comfortable there. 

Daehyun lives in a tiny apartment on the upper half of a quaint little duplex owned by an aging woman living with her daughter. There are flower boxes outside and frilly floral curtains covering the downstairs windows in a cheery yellow and even little gnomes up front.

Daehyun doesn’t have as much of a design touch in his half, plain blinds covering the windows and equally plain furniture throughout. It’s the typical bachelor pad though surprisingly neat, and not just the neatness of someone who had hastily cleaned up for a guest. 

Daehyun welcomes him with a happy, if slightly nervous, smile and Himchan toes off his shoes before following the boy to the kitchen, sitting at one of the stools at the counter. He places the food he had brought on the surface, chuckling as Daehyun’s eyes light up with joy and he begins taking out plates and utensils.

They finish eating in record time, both having large appetites, and Daehyun discards the boxes before returning to where Himchan has happily slipped into a mini food coma.

“Um, want a drink?”

Himchan stretches with a sigh and props his chin in a hand, “I don’t suppose you have scotch?”

“I…might have some hard apple cider? That Youngjae brought back?”

Himchan chuckles, “Cute. I was kidding, whatever’s fine. Whatever you’re having.”

“I’ll make tea then.”

There is something different in Daehyun’s aura here, more relaxed and his movements more fluid as he works in his little kitchen. It isn’t long before the light scent of brewed tea wafts around the space, and Daehyun is asking if Himchan wants any sugar or milk. Himchan takes his tea with a little raw sugar, humming contemplatively at the first sip

“Is that cinnamon?”

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Daehyun says, sheepish, “I should have asked, I just…I always put it in mine…”

“It’s good.”

They chat for a bit, Daehyun asks about Himchan’s work and the elder cheerfully goes on a rant about his newest assistant before he decides they should really start practising. 

He brings his guitar lovingly out of its case, handling the old wood with care. He has spent the past week reacquainting himself with the instrument, not having played in years. He had forgotten how soothing it had been to sit and strum out a song or two when the pressures of life began to get to him.

Daehyun pulls up the sheet music for a song he had become particularly fond of lately. Himchan has heard it before, a number by a sibling duo that was becoming popular. He sings a few bars, voice rough and husky. When he stops and glances at Daehyun, the boy is smiling softly.

“Your voice, it’s really nice, hyung. It’s like…an old leather jacket that smells like pine and cloves…”

Daehyun’s ears burn a bright red when Himchan blinks in surprise, “A poet, huh? Thanks.”

Himchan can sight read and so he runs through the chords on his own a few times before Daehyun joins in with the vocals. Later, Daehyun smiles softly as they begin to harmonize, pleasantly surprised at Himchan’s ability to learn the techniques fairly quickly and the way he seems not to mind taking direction from the younger.

Before they know it, half a day has passed. Himchan skips down the steps from Daehyun’s door, feet light and face serene. 

It’s a Sunday evening and the work week looms, but suddenly the thought of Monday doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

 

* * *

 

Yongguk is manning the counter the next time he arrives in the morning, already mixing up his usual as Himchan looks around.

“Where’s the kid?”

“Baking,” Yongguk replies, handing over the steaming mug, “And let me tell you, I have never seen anyone that happy to start work at 5am.”

Daehyun comes out of the kitchen then, smiling broadly as he spots Himchan and placing a plate down with a single perfect tart on it.

“I was hoping you’d be here already. Try it.”

Himchan picks the pastry up, and takes a bite out of it. His eyes flutter shut as the jam hits his taste buds, perfectly tart to offset the sweet icing and flakey pastry.

His eyes flick up to where Daehyun is waiting anxiously, “Mixed berry?”

The barista nods, strands of pink hair falling out of the elastic he had pulled his bangs up with, “Because you said love them all.”

Himchan’s face softens, “Have you tried it yet?”

Daehyun shakes his head and Himchan lifts the unbitten side up to Daehyun’s mouth, watching as Daehyun pulls away with a couple crumbs on his lips, munching happily and turning red with embarrassment when Himchan runs a napkin over his lips. 

Yongguk doesn’t say anything as he slips away with a smile, and the two at the counter don’t notice.

 

* * *

 

They practice a couple of times a week, intending to perform at the next open mic in a month’s time. 

Much of the time they just end up jamming to various songs, making up covers and sometimes just hanging out. Himchan had forgotten how fun it could be to just spend time with friends, having been running on full speed since graduating years ago, rarely seeing anyone but Yongguk.

When Daehyun isn’t going on about one obsession or other (ranging from Marvel, to composition, to _cheesecake_ of all things) they watch movies or dramas (which Himchan will forever, unsuccessfully, claim not to be emotionally invested in). Today, it’s another one of Daehyun’s favourite superhero flicks, and Himchan is having trouble keeping up with the cast of characters and their plot lines.

He sits with Daehyun as the younger stares wide-eyed at the TV, mouthing along the words to the action movie, one he had evidently seen many times already. Of course, this was the _debut television premiere_ , as the younger had seriously explained to him earlier, and so required another viewing.

The boy munches on his popcorn, drizzled with enough butter to make Himchan gag, tucked snug against the elder’s side. They must make an odd picture, squished together on the tiny couch. Himchan had dropped by after work, still in his crisp business shirt and slacks, and Daehyun is burrowed in his baggy sweatshirt and jeans, hair mussed and glasses slightly askew. 

He doesn’t realize he’s staring until he notes the doe eyes behind those glasses are blinking back at him curiously. 

Daehyun tilts his head, “Do I have something on my face?”

Himchan’s eyes are drawn from his eyes to his lips then, shiny with butter. Daehyun is already ducking his head to hide beneath his collar, long lashes dropping with his gaze, when Himchan responds unthinkingly.

“You’re really adorable.”

“W-what?”

The elder recovers, turning back to the TV as he sips from his beer, “I can see why Yongguk hasn’t fired you yet. There must be all sorts of little old ladies coming in to coo at you and spend money on baked goods.”

“Hey! I make good coffee, too! I just…trip sometimes. Maybe if you spent more money there, we could afford even floors.”

Himchan chuckles, cuffing Daehyun’s ear.

“I probably already pay for nearly your entire wage. Do you want me to die of a caffeine overdose or diabetes?”

“I want a raise and to graduate debt free. Get to it.”

“Brat.”

He rubs his knuckles into Daehyun’s head and the younger giggles and protests.

“Alright, mercy! Now, pay attention, hyung. You’re missing the best part!”

They settle down as the plot reaches a climax, the ensemble of characters whizzing past them on screen.

“Hey,” Himchan whispers, “Why isn’t Batman in the Avengers?”

Daehyun gasps. 

 

* * *

 

Daehyun is tapping his foot nervously on the small stage as Yongguk introduces them. Himchan can see some of the café regulars smiling at the barista encouragingly and as he whispers a gentle _I’m right here_ from beside him fingers brushing the soft skin of the boy’s neck, he can see a bit of the tension seep out of the younger’s shoulders. 

Himchan finds himself grinning wider and wider as Daehyun sings, chiming in with backing vocals occasionally. He can see the way the patrons are beginning to sway along, smiles lighting their faces as the infectious song begins to permeate their senses, Daehyun’s sweet voice leading the charge. 

The audience breaks into enthusiastic applause as the last note rings out, but Himchan notices little else but the feeling of Daehyun’s arms around his neck after they step off the stage, cheek pressed to his. The comforting scent of coffee invades his senses and Himchan thinks he could very much get used to this. The barista whispers against his skin as they fade into the background, the next performer already beginning.

“Thank you, hyung. I never would have done it without you.”

Himchan drives the younger home that night, grinning as the boy excitedly relives the performance. Daehyun’s pink hair and cheeks make him glow under the passing streetlights, and more than once Himchan finds himself forcing his eyes back on to the road.

He pulls up outside the younger’s house and Daehyun turns to him, full lips curved into a sweet smile.

“Thanks for driving me home, hyung.”

“Not a problem.”

Himchan wonders if this is it, if they would just go back to being server and customer now, passing each other with friendly greetings and smiles and nothing more. 

Pearly teeth sink into a full lip before Daehyun speaks once more, “Do you want to come up for coffee or something?”

Himchan stares, brow rising as he replies with caution, “Do I want to come up for coffee, or do I want to _come up for coffee_?”

Daehyun blinks and tilts his head, “Is it too late? I mean, you always drank it at strange hours at the café, so I thought…”

“Oh, you really meant…okay, yeah! Thanks.”

The coffee is forgotten in favour of frozen pizza when they realize how hungry they are, and soon they are sipping beer, plates left in the tiny sink as they try to keep their voices down so as not to disturb the neighbours. 

The elder doesn’t miss Daehyun’s body language, the way he is turned towards him, their knees touching and hands nearly brushing atop the counter. Even the silences between them were comfortable, though few and far between.

Himchan is pushing thirty; he’s past the point of hedging and waiting for signs. He knows what he wants, and he can only hope Daehyun wants the same thing.

“Daehyunnie, I’ve had a really great time getting to know you the past few months.”

“Me too, hyung. I, well, I’m glad you’re not the scary guy I thought you were. Well, you are but you’re not…um,” Daehyun laughs nervously, “Just…me too.”

Himchan gently reaches out to grab one of Daehyun’s hands, waiting for the younger to pull away or let go. When no such actions are forthcoming, he strokes the soft skin with a thumb as he speaks again.

“I think I lost sight of a lot of the stuff that used to make me happy. And you made me realize that. Thank you. And, I also realized something else…”

Daehyun’s eyes are wide as Himchan brings the hand up and cups it in both of his.

“I really, really like you, Daehyun-ah. And I was hoping maybe…you felt the same.”

“I’m not sure…”

Himchan’s already nodding, rationalizing it and minimizing the damage like he would with a deal gone sour at work, as Daehyun bites his lip at looks up at him.

“You probably want someone closer to your age. Maybe with the same taste in terrible clothing and hats, I get it-”

“Kiss me first.”

Himchan pauses, blinking rapidly as the barista shuffles closer.

“You know,” Daehyun says, hands twisting together in the sleeves of his hoodie, “for confirmation purposes.”

Himchan lips twitch, face nearly lifting into a grin before morphing back into a serious expression as he nods. “You’re right, how presumptuous of me.”

He plants a chaste peck to the younger’s mouth, pulling back and eyeing his face for a reaction.

Daehyun shakes his head.

“Again.”

He leans in and more firmly presses his mouth to the younger’s soft lips, softly sucking the lower lip between his. 

“How about that?” Himchan asks, forehead still leant against the shorter man’s. 

Daehyun’s eyes are almost crossing as he tries to focus on Himchan’s face, lips slightly swollen. He whispers quickly, as if he’ll lose his courage otherwise.

“Again.”

Himchan grants the request this time by sliding his arms around Daehyun’s waist and dipping him slightly back with the force of the kiss, slipping past the two plump lips as they part for him.

Daehyun is breathless, glasses skewed, when he pulls back and Himchan stares expectantly. The boy looks away shyly before meeting Himchan’s gaze once more.

“Again?”

Himchan chuckles, pulling him forward again with a gentle hand on his chin, “Brat.”

Daehyun doesn’t need to ask the next time.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, that final kiss scene was inspired by the one in Toradora. Too cute to pass up!


End file.
